For What Would You Wish?

by on July 7, 2006in Articles

“One wish…anything.” If you are a kid, or a parent of one, you might think this was a line from the film Aladdin.
In that story, the genie, who was awakened from a 10,000-year nap,
grants his new master three wishes. With wishes come some stipulations,
one of which was that he couldn’t wish for more wishes. Makes sense.
Don’t want to wear out the genie.

In the Scriptures, God grants young King Solomon one wish. Now,
understand something: God is no genie. To reduce Him to such frivolous
status would be sacrilege. That’s not to say some people don’t try to
do that by the way they treat Him.

Nevertheless, Yahweh God did grant Solomon one wish. Maybe it was to
test him. Better yet, maybe it was to prove him. In either case
Solomon, by his choice, demonstrated the very thing he wished for,
which is wisdom. “Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out
and come in before this people” (2 Chron.1:10, NASB). This wisdom would
eventually permeate his whole life experience, from the work he
performed as king to the words he expressed as sage. Christians today
are enriched by his contributions to the believing community as they
apply to wisdom. Countries need leadership that emulates it.

Solomon’s wish was not his first encounter with God. The Scripture
tells us that the Lord “loved him” when he was born the second child to
David and Bathsheba. Nathan the prophet, for the Lord’s sake, gave him
the surname Jedidiah, which means “beloved of the LORD” (2 Sam.
12:24–25). And it was the Lord’s throne on which Solomon would later
sit as king of Israel and “the LORD his God was with him and exalted
him greatly” (2 Chron. 1:1, NASB).

The wish itself came to Solomon just after his inauguration. The
Lord appeared to him and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give
you” (2 Chron. 1:7). This was no beauty pageant interview. He was not
competing against others before judges. His was a heartfelt response to
a probing question from the God of the universe.

In the suburban section of our local newspapers is a section
featuring volunteers in the community who have distinguished themselves
through their
service. This column offers a “snapshot” of that week’s volunteer,
somewhat like a personality profile. It’s interesting reading
especially when you get to the question, “If granted one wish, what
would it be?” Some answers have been of the self-serving sort, citing
such luxuries as a world cruise or a beachfront cottage. Others have
been more altruistic, listing everything from world peace to the cure
for serious illness.

It’s easy to critique others’ responses, but when confronted with
the question ourselves, it’s difficult to say what we’d wish for.
Solomon’s response no doubt was born out of the tremendous sense of
responsibility he felt for leading the nation of Israel. His wish
singled out wisdom because his work called for wisdom.

In the events leading up to Solomon’s appointment as king, the
matter of wisdom played a key role. King David had prayed for
discretion and understanding on behalf of his son Solomon, since he was
the heir-apparent to the responsibility of building the temple (1
Chron. 22:12). In that same blessing, David informed Solomon of the
skilled artisans who were at his disposal to help accomplish the task
(vv. 15–16). Interestingly, the concept of skill is at the very heart
of wisdom. Both are from the same Hebrew word and are often used
interchangeably. In 1 Kings 7:13-14, Solomon sent for Hiram from the
city of Tyre to use his special ability in building fine things. Hiram
was “highly skilled and experienced in all kinds of bronze work.”

Whereas skill and wisdom are closely connected in meaning, it is
important to understand that they are not merely technical in function.
Wisdom has a moral dimension. It was seen in Solomon’s ability to make
sound judgments in difficult situations. One of his most famous
decisions involved the conflict between two harlots who were in dispute
over a living and a dead child. When Solomon decreed that the living
child be literally divided between the two mothers, his ruling exposed
the rightful mother who naturally was willing to spare the child by
forfeiting him to the other woman. By this Solomon knew to
whom the child belonged. “When all Israel heard of the judgment which
the king had handed down, they feared the king; for they saw that the
wisdom of God was in him to administer justice” (1 Kings 3:28, NASB).

Solomon, it could be argued, is the earthly progenitor of godly
wisdom. His wisdom came as a result of making a good choice when given
the opportunity. For Christians, the opportunity is all the more
accessible. Jesus, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge” (Col. 2:3, NASB), has given us the opportunity to receive
wisdom from Him. In doing so, we gain the wisdom that not only affects
the life that now is, but also the life to come. “One wish …anything.”

Steve Faulkner (Th.M. 84) serves as pastor at Grace Church of Richardson in Texas.